Search Baltimore City Marriage and Divorce Records

Getting a Baltimore City Marriage License

Marriage licenses in Baltimore City come from the Circuit Court Clerk's Land Records and Licenses Division. The Marriage and Business Licenses desk sits in Room 627 and can be reached at 410-333-3790. Maryland law issues marriage licenses through the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county or city where the wedding will take place. So if the ceremony happens in Baltimore City, the license must come from the city clerk. A license from one jurisdiction is valid only in that jurisdiction.

The rules are simple. Maryland has no blood-test requirement. Only one party generally needs to appear to apply, but both parties' identifying details are required on the application. Both people must give proof of age. Officiants who can perform the marriage include authorized religious officials, judges, clerks, deputy clerks, and other Maryland-authorized officiants.

Hours matter here. The licensing desk runs Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Marriage ceremonies at the office run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Cash registers close at 4:00 p.m. for all licensing and land-record transactions. Plan to arrive with time to spare.

How to Apply for a Marriage License

The steps below follow the city clerk's process and Maryland marriage rules. Have both parties' details ready before you go, even though only one person may need to appear.

1. Confirm the wedding will take place in Baltimore City, since the license is valid only where it is issued.
2. Visit the Land Records and Licenses Division, Room 627, during the 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. window.
3. Give both parties' full legal names, dates of birth, and residence details on the application.
4. Show proof of age, and list prior-marriage details if either party was married before.
5. Pay the license fee at the desk before the 4:00 p.m. cash-register cutoff.
6. Take the issued license to your officiant, who completes and returns it after the ceremony.

Note: Confirm the current license fee and accepted payment method with Room 627 before you arrive, since amounts and payment rules can change.

Marriage License Application Fields

The application asks for a set of fields about each party. Most are required. A few are conditional, meaning you only fill them in when they apply to your situation. The table below lays out what to expect so you can gather it ahead of time.

Baltimore City Marriage and Divorce Fees

Copy fees at the clerk's office are set and modest. A plain copy is charged per page. A certified copy carries a higher flat charge, since the clerk attests that the copy is true. A mail request adds a small charge if you do not include return postage. Divorce filing fees and certified judgment fees are set by the Circuit Court and the clerk, so confirm the current divorce amounts with the Clerk's Office before you file.

A certified marriage copy fee may also include per-page charges, so check with Room 627 before mailing payment. Mail requests should include return postage or expect the added $2.00 mail charge noted by the Land Records and Licenses page.

How to Look Up Baltimore City Marriage Records

A marriage record copy comes from the clerk where the license was issued. For a Baltimore City ceremony, that is the city Circuit Court clerk. Certified copies are requested from that office. You can ask in person at Room 627 or by mail. A mail request should carry return postage, or the added mail charge will apply. For the full set of clerk services and contact paths, the Clerk of the Circuit Court page goes deeper.

Have a few details ready before you ask. The full legal names of both parties help the most. An approximate marriage date narrows the search. Knowing the ceremony was in Baltimore City confirms you are at the right office, since a license from another jurisdiction would sit elsewhere. For broader record needs, the public records page covers other request paths.

How to Find Baltimore City Divorce Records

Divorce records are Circuit Court family records. The case is filed and heard in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, and the file stays with the court clerk. The Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal can show summary information about a divorce case. Case Search is a summary, though, not the full file. For the divorce judgment itself, or a certified copy, contact the Clerk's Office with the case number or the party names.

What sits in a divorce file? It can hold the complaint, a civil domestic information report, financial statements, service records, the answer, and the final judgment. Some family material is confidential. Adoption files are confidential under Maryland Family Law, and certain juvenile and personal details are shielded. The next section covers how to file a new divorce.

How to File for Divorce in Baltimore City

Divorce filing happens in the Circuit Court. Maryland now recognizes no-fault grounds after recent family-law reforms, so confirm the current grounds and forms through the Maryland Courts family self-help resources before you file. The steps below follow the standard Maryland path.

1. Confirm Maryland residency and that venue is proper in Baltimore City.
2. Use the Maryland Judiciary family forms, or seek legal advice first.
3. File in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City and pay the filing fee, or request a fee waiver.
4. Serve the other party as the rules require.
5. Complete required parenting, support, property, and financial documents if they apply.
6. Attend scheduling conferences, mediation, settlement conferences, or hearings.
7. Get the signed judgment and request certified copies if you need them.

Note: Confidential family details, including adoption records, are shielded under Maryland Family Law § 5-359, so not every part of a family file is open to the public.

Getting Certified Baltimore City Records Copies

Certified copies carry the clerk's attestation and are the version most agencies accept for legal use. A name change, a benefits claim, or an immigration matter usually needs a certified copy, not a plain printout. For a marriage record, order the certified copy from the city clerk who issued the license. For a divorce, request the certified judgment from the Circuit Court Clerk.

You can request copies in person or by mail. In person is faster. A mail request should include the case or license details, return postage, and payment. Without return postage, the added mail charge applies. Confirm processing time with the office, since it varies with workload and the kind of record you need.

Marriage copy fees can combine a per-instrument certified fee with per-page charges, so the total depends on how long the record is. Call Room 627 to confirm the exact amount before you mail a payment. That one step avoids a short payment and a second trip.

Where Baltimore City Records Are Held

Both record types stay inside the Baltimore City Circuit Court system. Marriage licenses and their certified copies live with the clerk's Land Records and Licenses Division. Divorce files and judgments live with the same Circuit Court clerk on the family side. The Maryland Judiciary directory lists the city's court contacts and hours, which helps when you need to confirm a phone or address before a visit.

For estate and will matters that often follow a death in the family, the probate side is a separate office. The related links below point to it.

Related Baltimore City Records

For estate matters, see Baltimore City probate records. For broader request paths, see public records. For clerk services and certified-copy steps, see the Clerk of the Circuit Court page. To understand how family cases fit the wider system, see court records and the Circuit Court page.